Sowing the Seeds
by Mutant-Enemy-730
Summary: Post Spiderman 2. Peter, Mary Jane, as well as other characters begin the next phase of their lives, chronicling the following two days after the movie.
1. And so it begins

This is my first time writing a Spider-man fic, though I have written many Matrix fics, mainly in the romance area. It is a short story, so do not expect a load of chapters. Enjoy.

- Trinity-the-Goalie

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_"I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride, even though sometimes we have to be steady, and give up the things we want the most. Even our dreams."_

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Choices were never part of Spider-man's life. Sacrifices, sure, but a choice? Never. Every single choice was stolen the moment Ben Parker's hand slipped from Peter's grip, and in its place rested responsibility.

However, on this seemingly normal day, Peter Parker stood in the doorway of his apartment, being told to his face that the one sacrifice that he regretted, the one choice he tried to make, was not his to make in the first place. Here he stood, a warm, tingling sensation surging through his veins as his one true love told him that it was her decision to make, and she wanted to be with him. Mary Jane Watson, in full wedding garb, was telling him that she wanted to be with him, despite the risks.

"Peter, say something." Mary Jane gently broke into his thoughts, forcing him to realize that yes; this was in fact, really happening.

"Thank you, so much, Mary Jane Watson." Peter replied softly before moving towards her, finally kissing her the way he always wanted to.

He could feel Mary Jane's hands sliding along his back and neck, grasping him as tightly as he held her. As lips slid under and against one another, Peter subconsciously prayed for this moment to survive uninterrupted. His prayers apparently were ignored as the shrill sound of sirens pierced the dull roar of New York City. Pulling from Mary Jane, he cast his eyes towards the window for a moment before returning to look at his love's eyes.

"Go get 'em Tiger." It was all he needed to hear before turning towards the window and pulling his shirt over his head, revealing the Spider-man outfit beneath it. Yanking his shoes, and then his pants off, Peter grabbed his gloves from his drawer before grasping his mask. Yanking it over his head, Peter cast one last glance at Mary Jane before hopping out of the window, following the sirens. He heard Mary Jane run to the window and let out a loud yell of happiness as he realized that he was truly happy now- finally.

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Swinging ahead of the helicopters, Peter saw the two cars that had apparently garnered so much interest. Letting out another yell Peter swung down to the closest car, landing deftly on the roof. Crawling to the driver's side door, Peter peeked in.

"You do know that the speed limit is 30 miles per hour." Peter chided before jumping to a nearby van as the driver opened fire at him.

Jumping back to the car, this time landing on the hood Peter gripped the hood as he slammed his feet through the windshield, knocking the driver out. Sliding into the car, Peter moved the man's feet off of the gas pedal and quickly stopped the car before jumping out to pursue the second car. Swinging forward to land on the trunk of the car, Peter flipped forward onto the roof and shot webbing out onto the windshield, blocking up the driver's view.

Jumping off the car as it crashed into a parked vehicle, Peter surveyed the damage, and upon seeing no fatalities, swung off, the sound of cheering citizens echoing through his ears. No one would be able to see the smile upon his face, but his swinging was light-hearted and had a distinct bounce to it. Swinging up to an office building's flagpole, Peter spied a news camera upon him in a helicopter. _They must've been filming the chase and followed me._ Peter's thoughts came to the conclusion before giving the camera a mock salute and swinging off.

Minutes later, Peter could finally no longer hear the sound of the pursuing helicopter as he nimbly climbed along a wall in an alleyway. Bracing his body against the wall, Peter caught his breath, listening for any signs of mischief nearby. Hearing none, he jumped to the wall opposite him and climbed up the top. Surveying the area before him, Peter moved to the far corner of the roof- and began his way home.

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As he saw the windowsill come into sight, Peter shot out one last strand of webbing and angled himself to land above the window. Knowing that Mary Jane had heard his "landing," Peter crawled slowly down until his head popped into view at the top of the window.

"Hi."

"Hey, everything go well?" Mary Jane asked, a tinge of worry masked in her voice.

"Just dandy, so well that the newsmen found me more interesting than the chase. I spent quite some time losing them." Peter replied, moving down even more so that his face was in level with hers at the window. "Miss me?"

"You know it." Mary Jane smiled softly, reaching a hand up to trail her fingers along his mask-covered jaw. "I must say, Peter Parker, that you are the only man that could kiss me in such a way that the world would go away."

"Oh? Any kiss in particular?" Peter swallowed a laugh, knowing exactly what was going to happen.

"Yeah, I think I can pick one." Mary Jane moved forward, her other hand touching his cheek in a feather-light caress that sent a shiver down his spine. Suddenly she paused, as if remembering something. "Is it okay, with you being in plain view outside the window?"

"Right now, I could care less." Peter replied gently. He knew most of the people in the surrounding apartments were working now anyway, so his worries were confidently ignored the moment he felt Mary Jane's fingers touch the skin on his neck as she pulled the mask up.

Pulling the mask off, Mary Jane leaned forward, moving her lips against Peter's. She could feel the tension in his body dissipate as she gripped him tighter, pulling his upper lip into her mouth. God, how many times had she envisioned a sequel to the most interesting kiss she had ever experienced? The fantasies melted away with each new sensation that shot through her body as a realization hit her: she could have this and more now that it was real and no longer a fantasy.

Pulling his lower lip into her mouth, Mary Jane slowly pulled it with her, ending the kiss. Her eyes stayed closed a moment longer, relishing in the feeling of Peter's hot breath tickling her cheek. Opening her eyes, Mary Jane smiled softly, seeing the dazed look in Peter's blue eyes. A moment passed in silence before Mary Jane took a step back.

"You going to stay out there all day, or come in and rest, Tiger?" Smiling devilishly at Peter, she swallowed a laugh as he scrambled inside. "Now, do you have any tea in this place, or do I have to make a little trip to the store?"

Peter smiled at the arched eyebrow aimed at him, and nodded, still silent. Gesturing towards a drawer at the end of his counter, Peter moved towards his closet. Pulling out a clean shirt and pants, Peter turned back to Mary Jane.

"Hey, MJ, I just need to change out of these clothes and take a shower. So can you just turn around while I, uhh..." Peter trailed off, his cheeks flushing a bright shade of pink.

"The shower is across the hall, right?" Peter nodded at the question. "Well, why don't we just go back to my place? You won't have to worry about someone barging in on you."

Peter smiled softly at the gesture of thoughtfulness, but shook his head. "I live here, I may not be proud of it, but I am not ashamed. I can take a shower here, even if I have to share it with people I don't like."

He swore Mary Jane's face fell ever so slightly at his refusal of the invitation and quickly changed his mind.

"But maybe I could make an allowance just this once." Peter saw the glow return in her cheeks and smiled at her.

"All right then. You want to catch a cab, or take the subway?" Mary Jane asked innocently.

"I know another way that's much faster and cheaper." Peter replied with a grin, grabbing his mask from the bed. Upon thrusting some clean clothes into his knapsack, Peter handed it to Mary Jane, who placed it securely on her shoulders. "You may want to hold on to that dress." Peter commented, pulling his mask down as he moved towards the window.

Mary Jane laughed and gathered the wedding dress up in her hands as Peter wrapped an arm firmly around her waist. Forgetting the dress as Peter jumped out the window, Mary Jane grasped his shoulders tightly. She could feel the wind whipping against her, and was surprised at how serene New York appeared from the sky. _No wonder he yells when he swings, this must make him feel so free, _Mary Jane thought, resting her head in the crook of Peter's neck. Suddenly, just as the enjoyable ride began, it came to a quick halt.

"MJ, I forgot to ask you earlier, do you still live in the Village?" Peter asked, his voiced slightly muffled through the mask.

Mary Jane nodded without really thinking, her eyes widening upon seeing that Peter was holding her to the wall of some apartment building.

"Okay. Hang on, we're almost there." Peter nodded once before adjusting his grip on Mary Jane's waist.

A few minutes later, Peter landed with a bounce on the balcony of the woman he held in his arms.

"I know you knew where I lived, but you've never actually been here before. How did you–" Mary Jane's question was cut off by Peter's soft confession.

"I've been here, you just never saw me." Peter was suddenly very glad he was wearing his mask, for it hid the red hue flushing his cheeks.

"Oh Peter, you watched over me?" Mary Jane cupped his cheek, searching for his blue eyes through the mask's reflective glasses, but could only see herself.

"As often as I could." Peter smiled under the mask and shrugged. "Shall we go inside?"

Mary Jane allowed a bright smile to appear upon her face before moving towards the French doors and opening them. Moving through the apartment, Mary Jane pointed to the bathroom door before continuing on towards her bedroom, tossing Peter's knapsack at him in the process. Peter smiled beneath the mask before moving into the bathroom. Shutting the door tightly, Peter pulled his mask off before placing it on the toilet seat. Laying his gloves beside it, Peter nimbly found the seam that melded the top of his suit to the bottom and pull it up and over his head. Sensing someone at the door, Peter quickly turned, only to find a wide-eyed Mary Jane, dressed in a robe, holding a clean towel and facecloth.

"And I thought I might surprise you." Mary Jane began, a smiling gracing her face.

"Spider-sense, remember? I can sense someone coming up behind me." Peter explained before his gaze focusing on the towel. "Are those for me?"

"Yeah." Mary Jane handed the towel and cloth over before retreating back out of the room, shutting the door as she left.

Outside the bathroom, Mary Jane placed her back against the door and sighed softly. Inside, Peter moved to place his hand on the door, his palm flat against the sturdy wood. Shaking his head after a moment, Peter placed the towel on the sink counter before shedding himself of his pants and boots. Turning the faucet on, he felt hot water trickle through his fingers, like warm sand on a hot day at the beach. Smiling softly to himself, he knew this would be the first shower he would genuinely enjoy since he last stayed at his aunt's.


	2. A Busy Evening

Thank you for the reviews.

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Mary Jane took a last glance at herself in the mirror before hearing the bathroom door finally open. Wearing a simple white top, blue jeans and sandals– a drastic change from her wedding dress and the minimal make-up that went with it, Mary Jane moved from her bedroom to grin at Peter's hair sticking in every direction as he exited the bathroom. Gazing down at his blue jeans, grey t-shirt and powder blue button up shirt; Peter subconsciously ran a hand through his hair, instantly taming his wild hairstyle.

"You look good Tiger." Mary Jane watched as Peter blushed before switching to a less awkward conversation, "So, do you want to eat out tonight, or stay in?"

"It's the evening all ready? Man, time flies." Peter shook his head before noticing that Mary Jane was still waiting for his answer. "Umm, eating in sounds good."

"Come on, the kitchen's through here." Mary Jane jerked her head to one side before going through an unlit doorway.

Peter entered the darkened room behind Mary Jane and quickly blinked his eyes as the lights suddenly flicked on, forcing his retinas to contract. Watching Mary Jane move around the kitchen, Peter felt a swarm of emotions rising within him. He was _with_ Mary Jane Watson, the girl next door, the most popular girl in high school, the girl he'd loved since the fourth grade. And, better yet, she wanted to be with him. Peter shook his head, realizing that Mary Jane had asked him a question.

"I'm sorry, what did you ask?"

"I asked whether you wanted help me cook." Mary Jane repeated. She had seen the look in his eye before she brought him back to the present, a look that made a shiver run down her spine and dissolved any anger at his lack of attention.

Peter swallowed the rising nervousness in his throat as he made his first attempt at being playful with Mary Jane with the question, "Do you think it would be more romantic?"

Mary Jane opened her mouth to respond only to shut it a second later. Looking around her for a moment, as if gathering an answer, she leveled her gaze at Peter's blue eyes. "I think it would depend on what happened during the cooking." The twinkle in her eyes was not lost upon Peter, nor was the mischievous tone in her voice. "Come on, I've got a great craving for Chinese."

Mary Jane moved to the refrigerator and opened the freezer, pulling out a bag of frozen Chinese food. Shutting the door firmly, Mary Jane turned around, only to find Peter mere inches from her. As her eyes dipped from his eyes to his lips, Peter leaned in, capturing her lips with his own. Wrapping an arm around her waist as he pushed her back into the refrigerator, Peter barely registered the sound of the package of frozen food dropping to the floor, spreading cold ice crystals across his bare feet as Mary Jane's hands moved up to cup his face, desperately trying to grasp the sensations shooting through her body.

Pressing her body more firmly against the softly humming unit, Peter shifted his grasp on her back, accidentally hitting the ice vendor on the door, causing several ice cubes to spit out and hit Mary Jane in the side. Crying out as she broke the kiss, the pair moved apart before breaking out in laughter. After a moment, Peter cast a look of anxiety upon Mary Jane.

"What's wrong?" she asked, instantly worried.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so rash. I didn't mean to..." Peter trailed off, seeing the soft look of love in Mary Jane's eyes.

"I didn't mind. In fact, I..." Mary Jane blushed suddenly, and, to hide the pink tint upon her cheeks, crouched down to pick up the dropped bag of food. Upon standing back up, Mary Jane was met with Peter's strong gaze.

"In fact what?" he inquired softly.

Mary Jane was aware that the words sounded like soft velvet running out of his mouth at that moment, but focused on answering the question. "I enjoyed it." Mary Jane watched as Peter smiled shyly and only smiled in return before moving towards the stove.

If one were to be able to witness the next forty minutes or so inside Mary Jane's kitchen, they would be mesmerized at the way the pair moved in sync for cooking, both taking great amusement and enjoyment in being with the other. The laughter at Mary Jane's failed attempts to open the bag of frozen food would be followed with the hands-on sarcastic teaching of "How to Open a Bag of Frozen Food With Scissors" by Peter. The attention Peter would pay to every movement Mary Jane made would be reciprocated equally as Mary Jane watched Peter set the table, before quickly scrambling to stop the food from being over-cooked, much to the delight of Peter.

Sitting down, Mary Jane smiled as Peter brought two plates of steaming food to the table. Placing one in front of Mary Jane before moving to sit across from her, Peter watched as she inhaled the scent of the food.

"Smells good."

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Steaming water bubbles over a plate, washing the remains of a meal down the drain in the sink. A fork pushes bits of onion, pepper and chicken off another plate into the trashcan with a wet "plop." As the first plate is placed in the lower rack of the dishwasher, the second plate is handed over. Grasping the plate, two hands move against another, sending a shock of electricity through both parties' bodies. Two pairs of eyes meet slowly, and hold.

The plate, forgotten, drops into the sink with a loud clatter, water splashing over it, continuing on it's destined course down the drain. The hands' grip is strong; the appendage equivalent of the lips that press together, until the grip is broken, allowing hands to move to hold the other tighter. A sharp tingling in the brain of the male half of the pair causes the kiss to end suddenly. Laborious breaths break the silence of the moment before eyes meet a second time.

"I have to go." Peter whispered, his fingers tenderly tracing the defining line of Mary Jane's jaw. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I knew this would happen." Mary Jane smiled softly, the actress within her controlling her emotions so as to not upset Peter.

"I don't want you to think I don't want to be here," Peter paused, thinking how he could say everything, "I do want to be here, want you, want this, right now, but I have a responsibility."

"I know, Peter." Mary Jane blinked back tears fighting to fall, "Besides, we have our whole lives ahead of us, don't we?"

Peter didn't respond, merely nodded, his eyes dropping to the floor before he turned to leave. Moving through the small apartment, Peter slid into the bathroom. By the time Mary Jane arrived outside the door, Peter was changed and came back out. Pulling his mask down to his nose, Peter moved to stand directly in front of Mary Jane.

"I won't be long." Not waiting for any response, though, subconsciously craving one, Peter leaned down and kissed her softly before pulling back and jogging towards the balcony.

He could hear Mary Jane running behind him as he secured his mask under his chin and shot out a strand of webbing before jumping off the ledge. The guilt inside of him over leaving her- again- tore him apart, but Peter knew, or hoped with all his soul, that she could understand, and deal. The sounds of wailing sirens, and, unfortunately, a helicopter suddenly interrupted his thoughts. _Great, now I'll be on the late show for insomniacs._ Peter shook his head as he landed deftly beside one stopped police car.

"What seems to be the trouble officer?" Peter asked.

The cop jumped at his sudden appearance before calming down enough to answer him. "Spider-man, we have a group of men with five hostages inside the subway terminal. If we go in, we put the lives of those hostages in danger."

"Sounds like a job for me."

"Be careful." The officer called out as Peter swing up in the air before swinging down and into the subway terminal.

Mary Jane sat down in front of the television, intent on keeping herself busy while waiting for Peter to return. As the screen light up, a reporter's voice cut through clearly, causing Mary Jane's stomach to flip-flop.

"We are outside the North subway entrance, where less than ten minutes ago, a group of robbers took an as of yet unknown amount of hostages down into the terminal. Not a minute ago, Spider-man swung in and disappeared into the terminal. We have been able to access the terminal's security cameras, enabling us to see exactly what is happening down there right now, so I will..." Mary Jane tuned out the woman's voice as she watched the screen switch to a clear, black and white camera, holding her breath.

"Nobody move!" The gang leader yelled, causing the hostages to flinch, a murmur of fear shooting through all of them.

"What, are you planning on painting their portraits?" Peter mocked, swinging in and landing on a nearby wall.

"Spider-man! You do not want to mess with me." The leader growled, his hand balling into a fist, allowing a pair of brass knuckles to glimmer in the dim light.

"You know, that has been said so often, it's becoming corny." Peter cocked his head to one side before dodging a bullet fired from one of the robbers.

Flipping down off the wall, Peter landed in a crouch before shooting two balls of webbing at two of the robbers, knocking them over. Pouncing up, Peter landed on the stomach of the closest one, and jumped off, causing the man to convulse. Landing a foot in the temple of the leader, Peter crouched down and shot out a strand of webbing at a fourth robber's feet, effectively tripping him and binding his ankles together. Sensing the leader taking a swing at him from behind, Peter rolled forward before springing up and landing a solid punch to the fifth robber's jaw, knocking him out.

Mary Jane watched in fearful silence, her body rigidly perched on the edge of the couch seat, breathing all but forgotten. Her eyes widened as she saw Peter spin around, meeting the leader, only to receive a sound punch in his face. She watched as he stumbled backward before hopping back on his hands and springing forward, his feet connecting with the center of the robber's chest. Clutching a pillow to her chest, Mary Jane bit down on her lower lip as the man grabbed Peter's feet and threw him into a wall.

"And they call you a superhero." The robber laughed, moving forward as he spoke.

Peter groaned quietly before standing, his senses only giving him a second's head start on the attack. Blocking the first punch, the second collided underneath his jaw. The third hit his stomach, doubling him over before a knee slammed into his face. As Peter stumbled backwards, a fourth punch slammed into his face again, and this time, the brass knuckles tore mask and flesh. Crying out, Peter flipped back, kicking the man in the chin as he did so. Landing solidly in a more open area, Peter spun in a roundhouse kick that sent the leader sprawling. Shooting webbing out, Peter tied him up, and promptly strung him upside down from an overhead support beam. A moment of silence reigned before Peter turned to the five hostages.

"You're safe now." Peter nodded once before running towards the stairs.

Leaping onto the wall, he crawled out, the sound of thanks left in his wake. Once outside again, the hostages running up behind him and the police running down to apprehend the robbers, Peter jumped into the air, shot a line of webbing from his wrist, and swung off.

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Next chapter will be up soon.


	3. Just any normal day in the life of

Enjoy

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Mary Jane heard the quiet thud of Peter's arrival on her balcony, and stood from her seat on the couch, placing the pillow where she had been sitting. Moving towards the doors, Mary Jane stopped upon seeing Peter emerge from the darkness, his hand against his stomach. Turning his masked face towards hers, Peter heard her gasp before watching her move to him, her fingers tenderly touching the bleeding skin of his face.

"Come with me." Three short words, both comforting and foreboding, if the emotional undertones were to be noticed in her voice.

Peter silently followed Mary Jane into the bathroom and gently removed his mask as he sat on the toilet seat cover. Mary Jane's hands skimmed through the small closet; pulling out hydrogen peroxide, triple antibiotic ointment and bandages. Placing the medical supplies on the sink top, Mary Jane soaped up Peter's washcloth and moved in front of him.

"MJ, I can take care of myself, you know." Peter gently rebuffed, moving slightly away from her hand.

"I know, and I just watched you get beaten up on television, so don't argue. It doesn't hurt to let others take care of you now and then, you know." Mary Jane replied, her tone brooking no argument.

As her left hand gently held his jaw, her right placed the washcloth on Peter's face, causing him to wince. Pulling away for a moment, Mary Jane again placed the washcloth against his cheek, and moved it slightly against the wound before putting the washcloth in the sink and rinsing it out with warm water. Placing the clean washcloth upon his cheek one last time, Mary Jane wiped the soap and remaining blood from his face. Brushing Peter's towel against the wound to dry it, Mary Jane waited until Peter's hand moved to hold the towel in place before turning to the medical supplies.

Grabbing a tissue, she doused it with the hydrogen peroxide. Gently gripping Peter's hand, Mary Jane lowered the towel and cast one look into his eyes before touching the stinging solution to his cheek. Peter winced a second time, and a quiet hiss quickly followed. Tossing the bloody tissue into the trash, Mary Jane leaned forward, her lips dangerously close to Peter's skin. Just as he was about to ask what she was doing, Peter felt cool breath tickle his skin, effectively drying the flesh around his wound. The shiver shooting down his spine caused Peter to move slightly, accidentally causing Mary Jane's lips to brush against his cheek.

Pulling away, Mary Jane smiled softly before dabbing some triple antibiotic ointment on a large band-aid. Leaning in again, Mary Jane tenderly placed the bandage over his injury, successfully covering it.

"There, all done. Is your stomach all right?" Mary Jane asked, standing up straight.

"Yeah, thanks." Peter stood also, his hand cautiously moving over the bandage. Peter watched in silence as Mary Jane put the supplies away and shut the door after she left the bathroom.

Emerging a moment later, Peter yanked down his t-shirt over bruised, but bare skin. Fatigue was getting the better of him, and when Mary Jane told him to take a seat on the couch while she made tea, he had no argument. By the time Mary Jane returned, he was sound asleep on the couch, his whole body lying across it. Mary Jane sighed before retreating to her bedroom. Emerging shortly thereafter in her pajamas, Mary Jane moved to where Peter slept and slid onto the couch, her head resting underneath his chin. As Peter's hand moved in his sleep, adjusting to the new presence against him, Mary Jane felt its' grip tighten around her abdomen. Falling soundly asleep with a smile upon her face, Mary Jane would never imagine how often the rigors of Peter's dual life called for him.

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Peter jerked awake, his spider-sense tingling. He knew he must've only gotten a few hours of rest, but his body felt rejuvenated. Looking down, Peter saw Mary Jane sleeping in his embrace, her hand resting over his. Feeling the familiar tingling sensation a second time, Peter carefully slid out from underneath Mary Jane and moved towards the bathroom. Changing swiftly, Peter jogged out to the balcony and swung off. If he had cast a last glance back before he had left, he would've seen the tired eyes of Mary Jane watching him exit.

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Landing softly on Mary Jane's balcony, Peter moved inside and shut the doors, his work done for the night. Looking towards the couch, Peter saw it vacant. Moving into the bathroom, Peter again changed into his jeans and t-shirt before moving towards Mary Jane's bedroom. Stopping at the kitchen, Peter saw her sitting at the table, her eyes looking straight at him. Sighing to himself, he moved into the kitchen and sat across from her.

Mary Jane took a sip of milk from her cup before speaking, "I guess I didn't think that you would be leaving every two hours. I never thought Spider-man would be so busy."

"I'm not usually this busy. My spider-sense was picking up quite a bit of things happening around here. It's quite sensitive sometimes. I can't control when it goes off." Peter shrugged, running a hand through his hair. "I told you before that Spider-man would always exist, and he is needed in New York, I cannot just ignore my duties to be with someone, no matter how much I want to."

"You're only human Peter, you can't do everything." Mary Jane replied tiredly.

Peter paused, he'd been with her for one night, and she was already stressed about what he did. "I don't expect everyone to understand why I do this, but I want you to. Two years ago, I saw Flash Thompson with a brand new car. He picked you up and you two went off somewhere. It made me want a car to show off to you. When I was looking through the paper for car sales, I saw an ad where I could win enough money to buy a car. All I had to do was beat a wrestler in a fighting match.

"So I went, and won the money, only the man wouldn't pay me. As I was leaving some guy came in and robbed the place. He was running right towards me, and I could've stopped him, but, out of revenge, I didn't. The robber got away, and tried to steal my Uncle Ben's car. He was waiting for me at the Library, because that's where I said I would be. My uncle wouldn't give the robber the car, and was shot for trying to do the right thing. He died that night because of my selfishness, and that is why I do what I do, no matter the sacrifices."

The silence that followed was deafening. Peter looked anywhere but at Mary Jane. He heard her stand and move the seat closer to him before feeling her hand push his chin up. Blue eyes met understanding green for a long moment before Mary Jane's hand drops to grip Peter's. Rubbing her thumb over the smooth skin between the thumb and the index finger, Mary Jane titled her head and smiled softly.

"I'm sorry." It was only two words, but it was all that needed to be said; the man and the hero could rest easy.

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The color green spread through the dream, maniacal laughter stung the brain. Harry Osborn snapped awake. Sleep had been coming to him in fitful clumps, his father's secret life and work shaking Harry to the core. He hated Spider-man with a passion, but Peter, his best friend, how could he ever hate him? _He killed my father... but... my father was the Goblin... maybe he had reason-no! I cannot think that!_ Harry shook his head free from the cobwebs and painful thoughts.

Standing, Harry moved towards the balcony in his room. As he leaned on the railing, he decided that if he was not to end Spider-man's life, and, knowing what the green liquid could do to someone- then some unlucky human would do it for him. Harry allowed a quiet laugh to escape his lips, the idea that he would kill his best friend all but forgotten.

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Daylight streamed through the windows in Mary Jane's bedroom, pushing the darkness further and further back towards the far wall, while warming the woman in the bed. Stretching her arms above her head, Mary Jane smiled happily as she slowly opened her eyes. Shutting them almost as quickly, she groaned and pulled the blankets over her head.

"Wake up sleepy head." Peter was in the doorway, hidden from Mary Jane's view. He had almost burst out laughing at her reaction to the bright sun coming in the window, but waited silently nevertheless.

Stifling another burst of laughter at seeing the form of the woman he loved jump from beneath the covers, Peter moved forward and placed a hand on either side of Mary Jane's body.

"Go away, I don't have any work today, thus, I sleep in. Meaning past seven a.m." A soft, barely audible, yet clearly cranky voice mumbled from underneath the covers. "Do not think for one second that you leaning over me will make me get up any earlier."

"I have to go to work." Peter replied softly, his eyes moving slowly over the lump that he knew was Mary Jane.

Beneath the covers, Mary Jane opened her eyes, saddened by the news. Peter watched as two hands suddenly appeared at the top of the blankets and pushed them down, revealing Mary Jane's face.

"Which work?"

"Photography. Jameson, my boss, wants more pictures of Spider-man. I was out last night, and was just lucky enough to catch a couple of shots." Peter jokingly replied.

"Oh really? How is it that you 'just happen' to be around when he saves someone?" Mary Jane coyly replied, going along with the joke.

"Like I said two years ago, I'm his unofficial photographer." Peter smirked before placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

Standing, Peter cast a last glance at Mary Jane before exiting the bedroom. Entering the kitchen, he wrote a short note for Mary Jane before opening the door and leaving. Moments after he left, Mary Jane came into the kitchen and put a pot of coffee on. Glancing around the room for a moment, remembering the night before, her eyes landed on the note. Picking it up, she couldn't help but smile as she read it.

"_MJ- I'll be back around five, unless "something" comes up. I'll take you out to dinner tonight, my treat. I also have a surprise for you after dinner, so, wear something warm. –Always, Peter_"

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"Parker! Where have you been, it's almost 8 am! Do you have any idea how much has happened in the last twelve hours?" J. Jonah Jameson yelled as Peter slid into the boss of the Daily Bugle's office.

"Yes sir." Peter quietly replied.

"Well good for you! Now, did you get any pictures of Spider-man?" Always on topic, no matter how high the chaos around him was.

"Yes sir." Peter held out a manila folder, only to feel it snatched from his hands.

"Crap, crap. Robbie! Tear up page one, put this on it with the headline, 'Masked Menace Flees the Scene!'" Jameson moved his hand through the air, gesturing wildly.

"Jameson, I told you before-" Robbie began, only to be cut off.

"Sir, page four is over-booked by Nike and Motorola." Hoffman burst in, Miss. Brant right behind him.

"Your wife is on line one, she says the dog got into the fishbowl again."

"Move Nike to page eight and give them 10 percent off, and Miss. Brant?" Smiling gleefully as Hoffman hung his head and left, "Tell my wife to thank the dog for giving me more room. Now Parker...Robbie!"

Robbie came back in, still holding the manila folder. Jameson grabbed the folder and reopened it.

"I'll give you $200 for the three of these." Jameson shut the folder and shoved it into Robbie's hands, his eyes on Peter.

"I was out late last night, on the off-chance I would get a picture. You're lucky that's what I got. $350."

"That's insane! Where do you think I get that kind of money?" Jameson took a step back, shocked.

"$350, or I'll take them to someone else." Peter knew he was out on a limb, and had a higher chance of being fired than being paid, but stood up and grabbed the folder back from Robbie, who still stood in the doorway.

"You play a hard game Parker. Done." Jameson scowled at Peter before scrawling out the check.

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One more chapter after this, and then it's done.


	4. It's a date, and then some

The final chapter for this short story.

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A distinct dripping sound reverberated throughout the small apartment Peter called home upon his arrival. Shutting the door, Peter moved swiftly around to the sink in his apartment, and quickly opened the doors beneath it, revealing a pool of water. Sighing, Peter yanked open a drawer, pulling out assorted tools. Placing them on the floor, he turned to toss his jacket, camera and check on the bed before rolling up his sleeves and kneeling down in front of the leak.

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Ursula silently opened Peter's apartment door, only to jump at a sudden voice.

"Fool metal! You think you can best me? Well, think again!" A few clanking noises were heard before Ursula clapped a hand over her mouth at the sudden sounds of spraying water.

Peter suddenly appeared in front of her, his face and shirt drenched in water.

"Ursula! Oh good, can you tell your father to turn off the water in my room? I seem to have, a, uh, leak." Peter gave her a lop-sided grin before watching her nod and exit swiftly.

Not a minute had passed before Peter saw the leaking pipe dry out- hopefully due to being shut off. After changing his shirt and combing his hair for the second time that day, Peter opened his shaking door to see the pounding fist and red face of his landlord.

"Parker! First, you don't pay rent, and now you're breaking my pipes! What do you think you'll accomplish by this?" Mr. Ditkovich yelled into Peter's face.

"I'm sorry Mr. Ditkovich, but there was a leak, and I was trying to fix it."

"Trying? Not hard enough it seems. Similar to your rent paying." Mr. Ditkovich leaned back slightly, crossing his arms across his chest before his eyes shifted to the bed- and the check atop it. "You've been paid? Great! Go cash it and come back."

Peter glanced down towards the bed before sighing- what could he say that would make any difference? Mr. Ditkovich didn't wait for a response before exiting, slamming the door behind him and causing an older picture of Peter's Aunt May and Uncle Ben to fall from the wall with a crash. Peter slowly moved to pick the picture up before setting it gently on the countertop. Today was not a good day at all.

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Mary Jane was just receiving the change for the fruit she had bought at a street vendor when she heard a woman's scream rip through the loud New York air. People everywhere turned to see the apparent cause of the scream being shoved out of a nearby jewelry store by two men with guns holding bags. Suddenly, she heard the crowd cheer. Turning, Mary Jane watched as New York's hero in red and blue swung by a thread to kick one of the men.

The other, obviously scared out of his mind, dropped the money, and released the woman into the crowd before being bowled over by Spider-man. The last thing he saw before going unconscious was webbing spinning around his hands and feet. The cheering only grew louder after a moment of quiet as Spider-man apprehended the robbers and swung off around a corner, out of sight.

Mary Jane, cocking her head to one side, quickly followed while trying to act nonchalant in the process. Rounding the corner into the alley, Mary Jane looked around and then up, smiling upon seeing Spider-man clinging to the top of the wall, looking out over the roof.

"Hey Spidey, you think I could have an autograph?" A boy who had the same idea as Mary Jane called out, standing a little ways behind her.

Spider-man looked down suddenly before climbing down. As he walked over, his head turned towards Mary Jane, taking her in.

"Sure!" Spider-man crouched down to the boy's height and deftly took the pen and picture from him. Signing quickly, he turned his reflective gaze upon the boy's mother. "Ma'am."

"Thank you Spider-man, my son has been trying to get this for a long time."

"No problem." Spider-man nodded once before looking again at Mary Jane. "And you miss? Can I help you with anything?"

Mary Jane waited until the boy and his mother had left the alley before replying.

"Yes, you see, I have this date tonight with a great guy, and I'm not sure what to wear."

"Ah, I see you predicament." Spider-man rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger for a moment, as if truly thinking it over. "I would suggest something that isn't dressy, in fact, go straight casual all the way."

"Thank you. I was just so perplexed about it- you have helped me greatly. Take care." Mary Jane smiled and winked before turning and leaving the alley.

Peter watched her back until she rounded the corner before climbing up the wall again, his mind awash in various thoughts.

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"Hey Aunt May, I'm just calling to check up on you and see how you are doing settling in. If you need anything, you know just to call. Love you, Bye." Peter dropped the phone back in its' cradle and proceeded to pull his mask back on.

Looking around his apartment one last time, Peter grabbed his knapsack and climbed out the window. Crawling around the corner, Peter secured his knapsack to the wall of the adjoining building to his apartment with webbing before heading off into the heart of the city. Feeling a tingle in the back of his head, Peter "hung" a right down the street, in search of any problems. Again, his spider-sense tingled, but neither he saw, nor heard anything. Deciding to get a higher look, Peter swung up further to a high flagpole and landed, his gaze slowly sweeping the city below.

As if on cue, a scream tore through the rumble of daily life. _Another busy day it seems._ Peter shook his head before shooting out a strand of webbing and swinging in the direction of the scream- and now- commotion.

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Mary Jane turned from her mirror at the knock on her door before moving through her apartment. Opening it just as the person on the other side began to knock again, Mary Jane grinned into the surprised face of Peter Parker.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show Tiger." Mary Jane pulled the door further open, silently inviting Peter in.

"Jameson sent me out for a second time today to get pictures of Spider-man and I ended up on the East Side, using up two rolls of film for a car chase." Peter explained, smiling back.

"Everyone all right?" Mary Jane asked, her concern for all parties included, but especially for one man in blue and red.

"Well, the bad guys were apprehended and Spider-man took a grazing from three bullets, but he's going to live." Peter shrugged, very aware of the pains in his shoulder, leg and side.

"Are you all right? We don't have to go out if you're not up to it." Mary Jane placed a hand on his arm, worry gracing her features.

"I'll be fine," he lied, "You didn't know at Mr. Osborne's funeral that mere nights before I had endured a bomb in my face and a serious beating, now did you?" The moment the words were out, Peter knew he should never have spoken them, even as a way of lightening the current situation.

"Oh Peter," Mary Jane pulled Peter into a hug. "I don't know how you do it."

_Sometimes I don't either._ Peter smiled gently into her hair, breathing in the light scent of perfume and shampoo. Pulling away, Peter looked into her eyes before speaking.

"Are you ready?"

"Let me get my coat." Mary Jane moved into her bedroom and returned a moment later, pulling on her tan overcoat.

Exiting in silence, Mary Jane pulled the door shut with a soft _click_ and locked it.

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The walk was a short one, across the road and down the block into a small, out of the way restaurant. Mary Jane had passed by often, but never eaten in it, always wanting to. Peter held open the door and proceeded to help her out of her coat before shedding his own and leading her to a seat- to which he also pulled out for her. _He is the perfect gentleman, why did it take me so long to see?_ Mary Jane shook the thoughts from her mind as a waitress arrived at their table.

The waitress placed two menus on the table, asking, "Miss, what would you like to drink?"

Mary Jane glanced at Peter before ordering water. Peter smiled gently, and asked for the same. After the waitress left, Mary Jane took in the décor of the restaurant, it was dimly lit but had many candles around, including two at each table, allowing for a soft, yellow glow to flicker throughout the place. The walls were painted a light tan color with a deep blue sponged over it. Greenery completed the homey and slightly romantic setting as Mary Jane finished her sweep of the room and returned her gaze to Peter's eyes.

"I always wanted to eat here." Mary Jane revealed, smiling softly at him.

"It's a nice place, I've been here a couple of times." Peter replied, his eyes glancing around before meeting Mary Jane's again.

The waitress returned with their waters and proceeded to take their orders before smiling and leaving with the menus tucked under her arm. Yes, this night was normal, something Peter hadn't had in quite some time. Smiling to himself, he couldn't help thinking how wonderful "normal" was.

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Dinner went along smoothly, bits of conversation were interspersed with eating, allowing for both to learn the lesser known, but equally unimportant pieces of information about the other. From favorite movie to least favorite ice cream, the normalcy was a welcome relief for both parties from the daily rigors of Peter's alter ego, and a world apart from Mary Jane's well known, but no longer existent, relationship with John Jameson.

As the check was paid, and the tab placed beneath a plate, Peter and Mary Jane rose from their seats and left the restaurant. Walking side-by-side, they ended up back at Mary Jane's apartment, holding hands. Mary Jane unlocked the door and dropped her keys in a bowl inside before turning to look back at Peter.

"Your note this morning- it said something about a surprise?" Mary Jane cocked an eyebrow at him, a ghost of a smile playing on her features.

"Why yes it did." Peter nodded, smiling playfully before moving towards the balcony in the living room. Peter motioned for Mary Jane to follow as he kicked off his shoes.

As he began to unbutton his shirt, Peter watched, wide-eyed as Mary Jane moved to grasp the buttons, undoing them also. Apparently, both had different ideas of what the surprise would be. Slipping the shirt from his shoulders, it dropped softly to the floor. Mary Jane ran her hands over the ridges in the Spider-man costume before flicking her eyes up to Peter's. The normally clear-blue eyes had become a stormy blue as all shyness and fear melted away, replaced with what can only be called want. Mary Jane lifted a hand to Peter's jaw, pulling his face down to hers, meeting him halfway.

When looking back on this pair, one would see a shy man who hid all passions and desires deep within to protect both himself and the others around him. What could be seen from the outside, was love and caring, only the top layer of his feelings. For the other, one would see a woman who didn't quite know what she wanted, but upon finding out, went straight for it. She would be the one that would pull what the man hid within, out.

Peter cupped Mary Jane's cheek with one hand while the other held her tightly to his body. Leaning into Peter's small, yet muscular frame, Mary Jane dropped her hands to his pants, pulling him with her towards the bedroom. As lips continued to clash, questions flew randomly through both their heads. _Is this right? Should we do this? Can we do this? _All of these seemed irrelevant at the moment, even though they should not have been.

Mary Jane felt her back press into the doorframe as Peter stalled their eventual crash to the bed. Breaking the kiss, Peter looked into her eyes. It was his silent way of allowing her to make the choice of whether she wanted to do this. The silent answer was given as she bit her lip once before leaning up to him again, claiming his mouth her own.

That night, Mary Jane and Peter crossed the barrier between friends and lovers, sealing their future together without knowing it. It would be the beginning of their physical relationship, for their relationship had begun two years ago, and had been building, growing and changing ever since. Neither knew what would be in store for them in the future, but they would meet it together.

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Thank you for the reviews, I bid you all ado.


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